Lightning-arrester for switchboards



(No Model.)

A. M. TAYLOR. LIGHTNING ARRESTER FOR SWITOHBOARDS. No. 586,575. Patented July 20, 1897..

Fig.1 W I? CL C H 1|! Ya: mum: PETLIS co. mu'l'auruq, Msnwumn, n. c.

UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR M. TAYLOR,

OF NILES, MICHIGAN.

LIGHTNING-ARRESTER FOR SWITCHBOARDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 586,57 5, dated July 20, 1897.

Application filed March 8, 1897. Serial No- 626,531. ,(No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that l, ARTHUR M. TAYLOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Niles, in the county of Berrien and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lightning Arresters for Switchboards, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is especially designed to provide a lightning-arrester to be arranged between the terminal head of the cable and the switchboard for disconnecting simultaneously and with certainty the entire system of connecting-jacks at the terminal heads from contact with the switchboard-terminals to ground the same whenever the current over any one of the lines is disturbed or is in danger of being disturbed by lightning, electric light or trolley currents.

My invention consists in certain constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a plan View of a simple form of my device; Fig. 2, a front elevation of a jackboard provided with my improved arrester, and Fig. 3 a horizontal section in line no a? of Fig. 2.

My invention is herein shown as applied to a terminal board 1, provided with a series of jack-plates 2, secured thereto by bindingposts 3, and a corresponding series of contactplates a, secured thereto by binding-posts 5, the line-wires 6 being in this instance connected to the binding-posts 3, and the switchboard-wires connected to a series of switchboard binding-posts 7, placed adjacently to the binding-posts of the contact-plates. The binding-posts 5 of the contact-plates are connected with the switchboard binding-posts by fusible plates 8, arranged in a tier and in line with the contact-plates. The contactplates 4 are also held in proper alinement upon the board by adjusting-screws 9, and the jacks 2 are similarly held to said board by adjusting-screws 10, the said adjustingscrews also serving to regulate, respectively, the degree of contact of the said contactplates and of the approximate contact of the jack-plates with the arrester-bar, as will here inafter appear.

The arrester-bar 11 is made of metal and is supported upon eccentrically-disposed piv ots 12 heldin bearings 13, located, respectively, at the upper and at the lower ends of said board, to extend beneath the middle bowed part of the jack-plates 2, and to present its smaller axis in close proximity to the under side of the jack-plates 2 when the free ends of said plates bear upon the ends of the contact-plates in their working position, as shown in Fig. 1, and to present its longer axis beneath said j ack-plates and lift the free ends of the latter a safe distance from the contact-plates, as shown in Fig. 3, to thus break the current when the current passing over the line has become sufficiently strong to endanger the office connections inside the contact-plates or when they are placed in this position by the operator in time of danger from such disturbing influences, as will hereinafter appear.

The arrester-bar 11 is connected to ground by a transverse adjustable ground-plate 12, secured to the board 1 by a binding-post 13 and adj usting-screw 1st in a manner similar to that of the contact-plates, the ground-plate, however, being of greater size and conductivity to safely conduct the current through a wire 15, connected to the binding-post 13, to ground, and is thus held a suitable distance from the arrester-bar when the latter is in its normal position.

The arrester-bar 11 is automatically operated by means of an electromagnet 16, secured to the back of the board 1 and connected by coil-wires 17 a and 18, respectively, to the ground-wire and to the arrester-bar contact-plate 17, secured at one end to the board. 1 and adapted to press at its free end against theunder side opposite the short diameter of the arrester-bar ll and opposite to but not in contact with the ground-plate 12 when the arrester-bar is in its normal position, as shown in Fig. 1, and said arresterbar is held with its longer diameter away from said contact-plate and in contact with the ground-plate and jack-plates to hold the latter out of contact with the contact-plates of the switch-wire terminals when the arroster-bar is in its second position, (shown in Fig. 3,) thus throwing the danger-current through the ground plate to the ground.

The jack-plates 2 are adjusted by the screws 10 to such nearness or approximate contact with the arrester-bar 11 when the latter is in its normal position that any dangerous or disturbing current upon any one of the lines will bridge over the said space and pass through the arrester-bar 11 to the coil-wire 18 of the electromagnet.

The coil-wire 18 is preferably connected to the arrester-bar 11 by a binding-post 20, a short fusible wire 19, a binding-post 21, and the contact-plate 17, thus proteetin g the coil of the electromagnet from receiving the discharge of electric currents of high potential.

IVhen the current is sufficiently strong to cross from any one of the jack-springs to the arrester-bar, the circuit through the electromagnet is established, as above described, and an armature 22, carrying a latch 23, pivoted to the board 1 and engaging the free end of a spring-actuated rod 24, secured at its opposite end to the arrester-bar, is actuated by the said electromagnet to release said bar and allow it to swing across the board and partially rotate the arrester-bar 11, the longer diameter of which will lift all of the jackplates a safe distance from their contactplates and press against the ground-plate 12, as shown in Fig. 3, and thus divert the current, through the arrester-bar, ground-plate, and ground-wire, to ground.

The rod 2i of the arrester-bar is operated by a coiled spring 25, which encircles the end of the arrester-bar and is connected at one end to the board 1 and at the other end to the said rod, and when released quickly throws the rod from the position shown in Fig. 1, when held by the latch 23, to the position shown in Fig. 2, when resting on apad 26, secured to the board to receive the force of the blow.

The switchboard attendant or superintendent may have a separate circuit-wire 27, connected to the ground and to the coil-wires 18 or in any suitable manner to the electromagnet. The arrester-bar may thus be released to throw off all of the jack-plates before the danger to the switch-wires occurs.

I claim as myinvention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A lightning-arrester comprising a board carrying a vertically-disposed arrester-bar, a series of jack-springs connected with the line secured to the board upon one side of and to cross said arrester-bar, a series of oppositedisposed contact-plates secured upon the opposite side of said arrester-bar and connected with the switchboard, a groundplate secured to the board to cross the arrester-bar upon one side and a contact-plate adapted to cross said bar upon the opposite side thereof, an

electrom agnet-coil connected with the ground and an armature connected with the said arrester-bar and operated by the said magnet to ground the current, substantially as described.

2. In a lightning-arrester, the combination with the base-board, of a series of parallel and oppositely-disposed j aclt-sprin gs and contactplates, the wires connected therewith, an cecentrically-pivoted arrester-bar arranged to cross said jack-springs and provided with a spring-actuated rod extending transversely therefrom, a ground-plate, a contact-plate, an electromagnet connected with said ground and contact plates and a latch-bar operated by the armature of the electromagnet to throw the jack-springs out of contact, substantially as described.

3. In a lightning-arrester, the combination with the baseboard, of a pivoted eccentric contact-bar, a series of oppositely-disposed jack-springs and contact-plates connected respectively with the line and with the switchboard, an eleetromagnet having one of its coil-wires connected to the said contact-bar and the other of said wires connected to ground, mechanism connecting the bar with the armature of the electromagnet to release the bar and throw off the jack-springs and a ground-plate adapted to cross in close prox imity to said contact-bar and bear upon the eccentric portion thereof and ground the current directly therefrom, substantially as described.

4. In a lightning-arrester, the combination with the base-board of a pivoted eccentric contact-bar, the jack-springs and contactplates arranged transversely thereto, a springactuated rod connected to said bar, an electromagnet having a coil connected respectively to the ground and to a fusible wire secured to contact-plate of said bar, and a latch connecting the armature of the electromagnet with said rod, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARTHUR M. TAYLOR.

\Vitnesses ZIMRI L. Coornn, \VILLIAM A. Coornn. 

